Gate



' w. P. FOLEY ET AL GATE . Filed June '7, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1*INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Grit 30, 1923. I

w. P. FQLEY ET AL GATE Filed June '7, 1921 2 Sheets$heet 2 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented Get. 39, 1923.

, rinses Parser since.

WILLIAM r. FOLEY aim RALPH w. KNUPP, or SOMERSET, rn vnsrnvnnra.

GATE.-

Application filed June 7,

To all whom it mar concern I Be it known that we, WILLIAM P. FOLEY andRALPH W. KNUPP, citizens of the United States, residing at Somerset, inthe county of Somerset and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certainnew and: useful Improvements in Gates, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to automatic gate operating mechanisms and moreparticularly to that class of vertically operated gates operativelyconnected to an elevator or lift such as is used in mine hoist shafts orother elevator shafts.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an automaticallyoperated gate or gates at the entrance to an elevator shaft so that thesame must be brought to its closed position before the lift or cage canleave its landing point thus preventing the possibility of any onefalling down the shaft when the cage or lift is not at the landing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pneumatically operated,safety gate cooperating with a lift or cage in such manner that the openor closed position of the gate is at all times cont-rolled by theposition of the cage with respect to a landing point.

A continued object of the invention resides in the construction of asimple, yet highly efficient pneumatically operated deivice forautomatically raising or lowering a gate or gates, and one in which therelative position of the parts are so arranged as to permit of easyinstallation in any mine shaft at a minimum of expense and withoutconsiderable labor.

With these objects in view, the invention consists of the constructionandnovel com bination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fullydescribed, illustratedin the accompanying drawings and pointed out inthe subject matter being claimed, it being understood that variouschanges in the form, proportion, size and minor details of constructionmay be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

With these objects in view and others which will be manifestandsuggested as the purpose and nature of my invention are ev a d he foow ng p i cation and 1921. Serial No. 475,846.

drawing wherein we have shown a practice, yet preferred embodimentthereof,

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the cage in dotted lines and theoperating mechanis'm for the gate. a

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view of the air or steam ram for operatingthe gate.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the brake cylinder used in connection withthe operating mechanism. 1

Figs. 3 and a are sectional views showing the control valve in itsdifferent posi-; tlOIlS.-

Figs. 5 and 6 are vertical sectional views of the same, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective of a trip disk for operating a spring pushedcontrol valve.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, 5 designates thevertically slidable gate which is provided at its top and bottom withextended eyes 6, 7, arranged toact as guides for the said gate operablebetween the verticalside guide rods 8 9, extendingfrom the flooring to asuitable beam, for instance, as clearly shown by Fig.1. The gate, ofcourse, constitutes the closure for the cage or lift 10 shown in dottedlines, operable in the shaft by means of the hoist rope 11 connected tothe hoisting drum 12 of the structure.

A gate elevating element, in the form of a cable or rope 13, isconnected as at 1 1, to the top of the gate 5, and which passes over apair of pulleys 15, 16', arranged on'thetop of a beam 17. The element13, depends from the pulley 16, and is secured as at 13, to the outerend of a piston rod 17,tl1elatter having its inner end provided with apiston 18, operable within a vertically disposed cylinder 19, which isoffset somewhat with respect to the guide rod 8, 9, and is formed at itsupper end with a tubular inlet and exhaust, as indicated at 19 and atits lower end with a combined inlet and exhaust, as indicated at 19".

Arranged within the cylinder 19, at the bottom thereof, is a coiledspring 20, which.

acts as a cushion for the piston 1.8, when the I 1 arenas and shaft 37-,so that the rotary movement of the disk will not exceedone completerevolution for the travel of the cage from one landingto another, and bythis arrangement when the cage 10, reaches a landing,

that the controlling valve mechanism is so positioned that the pressureis exhausted through pipes 3a and 20, and when the elevator or liftreaches the landing and pressure is supplied to the pipe 20 through theoperation ofthe' valve mechanism, pres sure will also be supplied to thecylinder 33, causing the operation ofthe piston 32, andthe, brake l2 andin this connection exhaust is had from thecylinder 33, through the pipes35 and 23, and by this arrangement the application of brake 12 is had onthe drum, until it is time for the elevator or lift to leave thelanding, but before the application of the brake is removed,controlling'valve mechanism is operated, so as to supply pressure to thecylinder 33,

through the pipes 23 and 35, and this also causes the supply of pressureto the cylinder 19, below the piston 18, at the same time an exhaust ofpressure is had through the pipes 20 and 34, and on the supply ofpressure in the manner as stated the brake 12 is released and the piston18 moved upwardly and the gate 5 will move to closed position bygravity.

When the valve 21, is shifted to the position shown in Figure 3 a supplyof pressure is bad to the pipes 20 and 34, and exhaust is had throughthe pipes 23 and 35, and when th valve mechanism is shifted to theposition in Figure 4, a supply of pressure is had to the pipes 23 and35, and exhaust through the pipes 20 and 34. The valve 22, is alwaysclosed unless it is released lug 42.

If the cage is positioned intermediate a pair of landings, the brake 12can be applied without in any manner effecting the position of the gate5, due to the fact that the valve 22. is closed.

In the accompanying drawings, we have illustrated our invention embodiedin one form by way of example, and which in practice has been. found tobe highly satisof-the invention; It is furthermore understood that theinvention is not necessarlly limited or restricted to the preciseelements shown except insofar as such limitations are specified in thesubject matter being claimed.

Having shown and described our invention, what we claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the U. S; is

1 A device for the purpose set forth comprising an' elevator shaft gatelifting member normally in inoperative position and shifted to suchposition by the weight of the gate, a cylinder provided with a pressureoperated piston connected to said member, conducting pipes opening intosaid cylinder above and below said piston and each providing for supplyand exhaust, a releasable valvular element mounted in one of said pipesfor arresting the operation of'said piston when the elevator is betweenlandings to prevent the. shifting ,of said member from inoperativeposition, a valve mechanism for controlling supply and exhaust throughsaid pipes, and means operated from the hoisting mechanism of theelevator when the latter reaches the landing for releasing said valvularelement whereby on the operation of said valve mechanism to one positionsaid piston will be shifted to move said member to operative position.

2. A device for the purpose set forth comprising an elevator shaft gatelifting member normally in inoperative position and shifted to suchposition by the weight of the gate, a cylinder provided with a pressureoperated piston connected to said member, conducting pipes openingintosaid cylinder above and below said piston and each pro viding forsupply and exhaust, a releasable valvular element mounted in one of saidpipes for arresting the operation of said piston when the elevator isbetween landings to prevent the shifting of said member from inoperativeposition, a valve mechanism for cont-rolling supply and exhaust throughsaid pipes, means operated from the hoisting mechanism of the elevatorwhen the latthrough the medium of the disk 41, and tel reaches thelandmg for releasmg Sald valvular element whereby on the operationofsaid valve mechanism to one position said piston will be shifted tomove said member to operative position, a brake element associated withsaid mechanism and applied thereto simultaneously with the shifting ofsaid member to operative position, a fluid pressure operated meanscommunicating with said pipe and connected to said brake element foroperating the latter when said member is shifted to operative position,and means for releasing said brake element simultaneously with theshifting of said member to inoperative position by the gate.

3. A device for the purpose set forth comprising an elevator shaft gatelifting member normally in inoperative position and inoperativeposition, a valvemechanism for controlling supply and exhaust throughsaid pipes, means operated from the hoisting mechanism of the elevatorwhen the latter reaches the landing for releasing said valvular elementwhereby on the operation of said valve mechanism to one position'saidpiston will be shifted to move said member to operative position, andmeans for cushioning the movement of the piston when said member isshifted to operative position.

4. A device for the purpose set forth comprising an elevator shaft gatelifting member normally in inoperative position and shifted to suchposition by the weight of the gate, a cylinder provided with a pressureoperated piston connected to said member, conducting pipes opening intosaid cylinder above and below said piston and each providing for supplyand exhaust, a releasable 4: 1 ime i5 larelement whereby on theoperation of said valve mechanismtoone position said piston will beshifted to move said member to operative position, a brake elementassociated with said mechanism and applied thereto simultaneously withthe shifting of said member to operative position, a fluid pressureoperated means communicating with said pipe and connected to said brakeelement for operating the latter when said member is shifted tooperative position, means for releasing said brake elementsimultaneously with the shifting of said member to inoperative positionby the gate, and means for cushioning the movement of the piston whensaid member is shifted to operativeposition.

In testimony whereof, we affix our signatures hereto.

WILLIAM P. FOLEY. RALPH W. KNUPP.

